Sunday 3 November 2013

OCTOBER 2013, READING LIST

October was a great reading month with 14 books in all completed.

I'm slipping back into old bad habits though, as only 1 was penned by a female.

I read my first non-fiction book since the beginning of the year; the book Unpeople had been haunting me for a while, having been in the side pocket of the driver's door for about 9 months - a poor choice for the car!

Jim Thompson's Rip-Off was disappointing, but I will be back for more from him. Bruen's Purgatory, I enjoyed more, but still kind of felt flat about it. Preston's Dark City Blue was the other so-so read, hopefully his second book will be better.

8 of the 14 were all new authors to me. All enjoyable and I will look for more from most of them, particularly the dynamic duo from Scotland - Mackay and McIlvanney.

Unusually only 4 were set on my favourite crime playground -the USA! Mark Haskell Smith's Raw was probably the favourite from this bunch, even though Mosley, Robinson and Ziskin all scored the same.

Joint books of the month again as I can't split the two top reads. Step into the spotlight please; Malcolm Mackay and Leif G.W. Persson!

Jim Thompson - The Rip-Off (2)

Malcolm Mackay - The Necessary Death Of Lewis Winter (5)

Carolyn Hart - Brave Hearts (3)

Liam McIlvanney - Where The Dead Men Go  (4)

Mark Haskell Smith - Raw (4)

Mark Curtis - Unpeople (3)

Michael Robotham - Bombproof (4)

Thatcher Robinson - White Ginger (4)

Jason J.R, Gaskell - Darkling Light (4)

Walter Mosley - Devil In A Blue Dress (4)

James W. Ziskin - Styx & Stone (4)

Luke Preston - Dark City Blue (3)

Leif G.W. Persson - He Who Kills The Dragon (5)

Ken Bruen - Purgatory (3)



Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise collates crime bloggers monthly summaries over here.
Please pay her blog a visit to pick up some great reading hints.

Roll on November!




10 comments:

  1. I am in the process of doing my monthly summary. I didn't read as much as you but I did read more than what I did in September so going in the right direction, eh? Looks like a great reading month for you so good job.

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    1. Keishon thanks, hopefully you stay on an upward curve this month!

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  2. Col - You've got a nice list here, and I respect what you're trying to do to expand your reading. And I'm not surprised you chose the Persson as your co-book of the month. He's very talented.

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    1. Margot thanks. Hopefully November is as fruitful - it's started fairly well!

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  3. I tired to score a free copy of Raw after reading your review, but I was turned down. Insulted! Can it be that they think a clothes blog isn't the place for their hardcore book....?

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    1. Moira, I'm disappointed as I was really looking forward to hearing your take on it, perhaps it can go on your Christmas list?

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  4. Col, I am going to have to reveal my envy that you can read AND review 14 books in one month. An interesting and varied list in October. I have planned to read only female authors in October but got sidetracked. Five out of eight books was better than usual.

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    1. Tracy thanks. I don't think I'm quite ready to try and tackle an all female month, maybe in another year's time! I'm working on it.

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  5. Some day my list of books read, in terms of crime-fiction variety, is going to look like yours. That's a good line-up.

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    1. Prashant thanks. I'll keep checking in on you to chart your progress!

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